Photographic apparatus for distributing processing fluid from a pod



P. L. FINELLI March 3, 1970 PHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING PRCCESSING Filed July 25. 1967 FLUID FROM A POD 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 BY momm.mzeuu a/rwl Madm ATTb NEYs v P. L. FINELLI March 3,1970

PHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING PROCESSING FLUID FROM A POD 1 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 25. 19s? INVENTOR. fiafiuic Rf 87M BY 161mm and m and mm if 3117mm ATTORNEYS P. L. FINELLI March 3, 1970 3,498,196

PHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING PROCESSING FLUID FROM A POD Filed July 25, 1967 a Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR. W 6 05% BY 61mm and M M 2! am A'rTbRNEYs United States Patent O F 3,498,196 PHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUT- ING PROCESSENG FLUID FROM A POD Patrick L. Finelli, Sudbury, Mass., assignor to Polaroid Corporation, Cambridge, Mass., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 25, 1967, Ser. No. 655,835 Int. Cl. G03b 17/50 US. Cl. 9513 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention disclosed herein is related to the subject matter disclosed in copending applications; Ser. No. 655,831 filed July 25, 1967; Ser. No. 655,833 filed July 25, 1967; Ser. No. 655,834 filed July 25, 1967; and Ser. No. 655,832 filed July 25, 1967 assigned to the same assignee.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a device which may be incorporated in a self-developing camera wherein a photographic transfer image is produced by moving a pair of film sheets including an exposed negative photosensitive sheet and a superposed positive receiving sheet, between a pair of juxtaposed pressure-applying members for distributing a processing liquid or developer between and in contact with the sheets. The preferred embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein provides a narrow gap between a pair of spring mounted sheet metal members through which the sheets are moved while the liquid introduced between the sheets is spread uniformly between and in contact with the entire facing surface of the sheets in a direction opposite the movement of the sheets relative to the pressure-applying sheet metal members.

It has been found to be advantageous to provide supporting and guiding means for the photographic sheets as they are moved toward the narrow gap. This invention is concerned with such a means which improves the performance of the sheet metal spreaders.

The spreader system which incorporates the present invention has many advanced features including its integral precise construction resulting in important savings in cost of manufacture, its compactness and lightweight and its removability from the photographic cameras designed for its use therewith. The preferred embodiment of the spreading apparatus includes a pair of sheet metal spreaders bent precisely to form a pair of small radius edge means having a precisely defined gap therebetween through which the sheets are pulled thereby rupturing a processing liquid-containing pod carried by the sheets and spreading the liquid between the sheets. As an important feature of the invention guiding and supporting means are provided on at least one of the spreader members comprising an elongated platform which in conjunction with the other spreader member forms a converging passageway for the sheets in the direction of the gap. The sheet metal spreader members are permanently joined to a pair of springs which serve the dual function of supporting the spreader members in exactly aligned juxtaposed relation to one another and further to urge said ice spreader members toward each other with just enough force to provide a uniform spread of processing liquid between the photographic sheets with as small a pull force as is feasible.

-To achieve uniform spreading of the liquid between the sheets and to minimize the spring force required, it has been found to be advantageous to provide a relief in the guiding and supporting means just before the sheet contacting edge on one of the spreader members. As the photographic sheets are pulled toward the gap, the front of the processing-liquid containing pod is squeezed by the spreader members causing the hydraulic pressure built up in the pod liquid to distend the walls of the pod until the moment of rupture occurs. It has been found that before rupture the distended pod may force the sheet metal spreader members apart thereby undesirably widening the gap. To prevent this, the spring force urging the spreader members toward each other may be increased, but this greatly increases the pull force required to pull the sheets through the gap. The aforementioned relief on one of the spreader members, however, allows the distended pod walls to expand at least partially into the relief area beneath the platform whereby the hydraulic pressure may be directed to rupturing the pod and spreading the liquid uniformly between the sheets and thus greatly improving the ease and uniformity of the spread.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved spreading device including a pair of spreader members having straight parallel adjacent portions juxtaposed to form a narrow pressure-generating gap, a pair of facing surfaces on said spreader members converging angularly toward each other in the direction of the gap, a portion of at least one of the facing surfaces being relieved in a zone immediately before the gap and spring means for urging the spreader members toward each other.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such an improved spreading device that has few parts, is relatively low in cost of manufacture, is compact and lightweight yet will perform in an entirely satisfactory manner.

The invention accordingly comprises the apparatus possessing the construction, combination of elements and arrangements of parts which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a camera having mounted within and shown in cross-section the preferred embodiment of the invention including the spring mounted spreader members and a platform integral with one of the spreader members having a relief formed therein;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the apparatus embodying the invention removed from the camera and showing the platform connected to the spring arms and having the relief formed therein;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the apparatus showing the gap between the spreader members;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 44 in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 4 showing the pod entering the narrow gap between the spreader members and the distended pod extending into the relief below the platform surface.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The spreading of a fluid composition in a uniformly thin layer between a pair of superposed sheets may be employed for effecting a number of various photographic processes and is particularly adapted, for example, to the processing of an exposed photosensitive stratum on one of the sheets to develop a latent image in the photosensitive stratum and/or to produce a positive image in the other sheet by diffusion and transfer of reagents from the photosensitive stratum through or into the fluid layer. The present invention is concerned with the provisions of a spreading device adapted to be employed, for example, with a film unit comprising a first sheet having a photosensitive surface stratum and a second sheet superposed with the first sheet and having a surface stratum disposed adjacent the photosensitive stratum and adapted to receive a positive photographic image. The processing fluid may be supplied in a pod interposed between the sheets of the film unit and adapted to be moved through the gap between spring mounted pressure members so as to rupture the pod and distribute its contents between the sheets. The width of the gap is quite critical to the proper functioning of the device. Forces tending to widen the gap must be counteracted by increasing the spring force exerted by the springs supporting the pressure members. However, even a small increase in the spring force substantially increases the force required to pull the sheets through the gap. This increase in required pull force in turn makes it diflicult to achieve the smooth medium speed travel of the sheets through the gap that is desirable for optimum spreading. The walls of the pod itself, as it is drawn toward the narrow gap, as described previously, tend to become distended and react with the converging faces of the pressure members to undesirably widen the gap requiring an increase in the spring force. A strategically located relief in the platform, however, allows the pod, especially in its distended state just before rupture, to expand at least partially below the platform surface. The relief-forming surfaces act in a manner to direct the hydraulic pressure built up in the processing liquid within the pod to rupture the pod and disperse the liquid over the sheet faces rather than to widen the gap, thereby requiring less spring force and resulting in a smoother pull. The following description describes both the structure of the preferred embodiment of the spring supported pressure members, including the platform means with the relieved portion before the gap.

FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawing show the liquid distributing means of the present invention including a pair of substantially U-shaped springs and 11 which serve to both support a pair of precisely formed sheet metal spreader members 14 and 15 to urge said members toward each other. The springs are spot welded to the spreader members adjacent the outside ends thereof with great care taken to locate said welds since the forces acting on said spreader members must be applied with great accuracy to achieve a uniform spread.

FIGURES land 2 illustrate the shape of the spreader members 14 and- 15 as they converge toward one another, to form a throat through which the layers of photographic sheet material are manually drawn. The spreader members are each formed of sheet metal which has the inherent capability of being easily bent to a desired shape. Thus, a single piece of sheet metal may be out out and bent to form a platform 16, the small radius sheet contacting edge 17, and the support connecting portion 18. The platform 16 serves to guide the sheets of photographic material into the gap between the spreader members. The edge 17 is formed as precisely as economically feasible to conform to the similar edge on spreader 15 to provide a uniform spread of the developer between the sheets. The support connecting portion 18 of the spreader member is bent and shaped to provide a suitable surfacefor welding the ends of a pair of generally U-shaped cantilever type springs 10 and 11 to each ends of the spreader member.

The other spreader member 15 also has a support connecting portion to which is welded the other end of the springs 10 and 11. This member has a back portion 21 which also helps to guide the sheets of film into the gap between the spreader members. The angle at which this back portion is bent is carefully controlled to provide a second small radius sheet contacting edge 22 which conforms to edge 17 on the spreader member 14.

FIGURES l, 2 and 3 show in detail the platform 16 formed integrally with sheet metal spreader 14 and having a relief formed therein near the sheet contacting edge 17. The platform may be further fastened to the spring arms by connecting means 23 and 24 or other equivalent means. The relief is formed by making a generally U- shaped cut in the sheet metal and bending the tongue portion 25 formed thereby below the platform surface. The tongue portion itself is bent near its midpoint as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 to form portions 28 and 29 beneath the relief opening. As the photographic sheets 30 are drawn toward the gap between spreader members 14 and 15, the processing liquid-containing pod 31 is drawn between the small radius edges 17 and "22 as shown in FIG. 5, and the front of the pod is squeezed by the said edges forcing the liquid therein into the remaining volume causing the pod walls to distend before the pod is ruptured. The distended pod, if forced upon the converging facing surfaces of the spreader members, could force the spreader members apart widening the gap therebetween. However, the relief in platform 16 as shown in FIG. 5 allows the distended pod 31 to extend beneath the platform surface relieving the forces against the spreader members. The upper portion 28 of the tongue portion is bent at an approximately 45 angle relative to the platform surface and allows the pod to be drawn smoothly through the gap while spreading the processing liquid therefrom uniformly over the width of the sheets. The raised edge portion 32 of the platform just before the relief also serves as a means to promote uniform spreading of the processing liquid by retarding the initial outward thrust of fluid as it is released upon rupture of pod 31. Instead of an excessive amount of fluid spurting between the sheets in the central area, a meniscus of fluid is formed which extends across the entire width of the sheets. This portion 32 also tends to minimize the effect of turbulence in the liquid which might prevent uniform liquid coverage.

A pair of shoulders or bumps 34 and 35, as shown in FIG. 3, are formed in one of the spreader members near the ends of the sheet contacting edge portion to pregap the edges apart so that the film leader 36, as shown in FIG. 2, may be manually pulled through the gap between the edges by means of the tab 37 typically heat sealed to the film leader. It should be understood that the film sheets as shown in FIGURE 1 are in processing position ready to be removed from the camera. US. Patent No. 2,991,702 shows a plurality of the film sheets stacked in a film pack as they are used in many of the present-day self-developing cameras. In picture taking position, the negative sheet 40 with. its photosensitive surface faces the open front of the film pack and the taking lens and then is pulled around and behind the positive sheet 41 by tab 37 as shown in FIGURE 1 in superposed position ready for processing. As the tab 37 pulls the leader 36 through the gap, the back portion 25 of spreader member 15 will support the leader at a position just before the gap and if the heat seals between tab 37 and the leader 36 are'hard to break this support will prevent the leader from being pulled back through the gap into the camera. The leader 36 is then manually grasped and the photographic material comprisingthe negative sheet 40 and the positive sheet 41 and the pod 31 is pulled through the gap whereby the pod is broken and the developer 42 is uniformly spread between the positive and negative sheets.

As can be readily seen, the platform 16 provides excellent support and guidance for the film sheets as they are drawn through the narrow gap between spreader members 14 and 15 and in addition help to dampen out undue sheet vibrations by keeping the ends of the sheets from flapping. The film sheets are guided and supported right up to the relief immediately before the gap and the relief itself is of such a configuration to provide a uniform spreading of processing liquid under controlled conditions.

Since certain changes may be made in the above device without departing from the scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim is:

1. A photographic device for distributing a processlng liquid from a pod in a layer between two layers of sheet material comprising, in combination:

a pair of substantially rigid members having adjacent portions predeterminedly spaced apart to form a narrow pressure-generating gap through which such sheet material is movable;

a pair of facing surfaces on said rigid members converging toward each other to define a narrowing throat to guide such sheet material toward said narrow gap, at least one of said facing surfaces forming a platform supporting and guiding such sheet material toward said narrow gap, a portion of said platform being relieved in a zone immediately before said narrow gap in a configuration adapted to receive at least a portion of such pod as such pod is introduced into said narrow gap; and

spring means for urging said members toward each other in a manner to effect the spreading of such liquid in a layer between the two layers of such sheet material during movement of such sheet material through said narrow gap.

2. In a photographic camera, a device for distributing a processing liquid from a pod in a layer between two layers of sheet material of which at least one is photosensitive and adapted for exposure to image-forming light within the camera, comprising, in combination:

a pair of substantially rigid members having substantially straight parallel adjacent portions predeterminedly spaced apart to form a narrow pressuregenerating gap through which said sheet material is movable;

a pair of facing surfaces on said rigid members converging angularly toward each other to define a narrowing throat to guide said sheet material toward said narrow gap, at least one of the facing surfaces forming a platform supporting and guiding the sheet material toward the narrow gap, a portion of said platform being relieved in a zone immediately before the gap in a configuration adapted to receive at least a portion of said pod as said pod is introduced into said gap; and

spring means for urging said members toward each other in a manner to effect the spreading of said liquid in a layer between the sheets of said material during movement of said material through said gap.

3. A photographic device for distributing a processing liquid from a pod in a layer between two layers of sheet material comprising in combination:

a pair of substantially rigid members having substantially straight parallel adjacent portions predeterminedly spaced apart to form a narrow pressuregenerating gap through which said sheet material is moveable;

a pair of facing surfaces on said rigid members converging angularly toward each other to define a narrowing throat to guide said sheet material toward said narrow gap, at least one of the facing surfaces forming a platform supporting and guiding the sheet material toward the narrow gap, a portion of said platform being relieved in a zone immediately before the gap in a configuration adapted to receive at least a portion of said pod as said pod is introduced into said gap; and

spring means for urging said members toward each other in a manner to effect the spreading of said liquid in a layer between the sheets of said material during movement of said material through said gap.

4. In a photographic camera, a device for distributing a processing liquid in a layer between two layers of sheet material of which at least one is photosensitive and adapted for exposure to image-forming light within the camera, comprising, in combination:

a pair of substantially rigid members having substantially straight parallel adjacent portions predeterminedly spaced apart to form a narrow pressuregenerating gap through which said sheet material is movable;

a pair of facing surfaces on said rigid members converging angularly toward each other to define a narrowing throat to guide said sheet material toward said narrow gap, at least one of said members exhibiting at the narrowest portion of said gap a sharply reduced radius of curvature to restrict the area of said members which bear on said sheet material and at least one of the facing surfaces forming an elongated platform supporting and guiding the sheet material toward the narrow gap, a portion of said platform being partially cut out and bent away from the remainder of said platform to provide a relief immediately before the area of the member which bears on the sheet material; and

spring means for urging said members toward each other in a manner to effect the spreading of said liquid in a layer between the sheets of said material during movement of said material through said gap.

5. The invention of claim 3 wherein the bent away portion of the platform is positioned beneath the relief opening and has an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion being bent at an approximately 45 degree angle relative to the platform surface.

6. A device for distributing a processing liquid contained in a sealed pod adapted to be ruptured to spread said liquid in a layer between two layers of sheet material, comprising, in combination:

a pair of substantially rigid members having substantially straight parallel adjacent portion predeterminedly spaced apart to form a narrow pressuregenerating gap through which said sheet material is movable;

a pair of facing surfaces on said rigid members converging angularly toward each other to define a narrowing throat to guide said sheet material toward said narrow gap, at least one of said members exhibiting at the narrowest portion of said gap a sharply reduced radius of curvature to restrict the area of said members which bear on said sheet material and at least one of the facing surfaces forming an elongated platform supporting and guiding the sheet material toward the narrow gap, a portion of said platform being partially cut out and bent away from the remainder of said platform to provide a relief immediately before the area of the member which bears on the sheet material to receive the liquid-containing pod in a distended state just before rupture; and

spring means for urging said members toward each other in a manner to effect the spreading of said liquid in a layer between the sheets of said material during movement of said material through said gap.

7. The invention of claim 5 wherein the bent away portion of the platform is positioned beneath the relief opening and has an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion being bent at an approximately 45 degree angle relative to the platform surface.

8. A device for distributing a processing liquid con- .tained in a sealed pod adapted to be ruptured to spread said liquid in a layer between two layers of sheet material, said device being adapted to use in combination with photographic apparatus from which said sheet material is withdrawn and comprising, in combination:

a'pair of sheet metal members, each of said members having a substantially straight edge portion which is predeterminedly spaced apart in parallel relation to the other of said edge portions to form a narrow pressure-generating gap through which Said sheet material is movable, said members being so constructed as to effect the distribution of said liquidin a layer between the layers of said sheet material during movement of said material through said gap;

a pair of facing surfaces on said sheet metal members converging angularly toward each other to define a narrow throat to guide said sheet material to said narrow gap, at least one of said facing surfaces forming an elongated platform integral with said edge portion for supporting and guiding the sheet material toward the gap, a portion of said platform being partially cut out across substantially the entire Width thereof and bent away from the remainder of said platform to provide a relief immediately before the edge portion to receive the liquid-containing pod in a distended state just before rupture, the raised edge of said platform bordering on the relief and formed by the cut-out relief portion extending straight across the platform surface in a direction perpendicular to the path of movement of the sheet material to impede the backward flow of said liquid away from said narrow gap, and a pair of narrow connecting surfaces onsaid platform at either side of said relief joining the integral edge portion to the remainder of said platform; and

spring means for urging said sheet metal members to ward each other in a manner to effect the spreading of said liquid in a layer between the sheets of said material during movement of said material through said gap. 9. A photographic device for distributing a process ng liquid in a layer between two layers of 'sheet material comprising, in combination:

a pair of substantially rigid members having adjacent portions predeterminedly spaced apart to form a narrow pressure-generating gap through which such sheet material is movable;

spring means for urging said members toward each other in a manner to effect the spreading of such liquid in a layer between the two layers of such sheet material during movement of such sheet material through said narrow gap; and

a pair of facing surfaces on said rigid members con- References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1958 Bing et al. 95l3 NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner 35 R. L. MOSES, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

